Superficiality Thread

[rauldc14]

Have at it folks.

Interesting to see what you all have to say. I will of course determine the winners in the argument.

[Sexy Celebrity]

Thank you. It looks gorgeous since you made it.

[Sexy Celebrity]

And please don't make it all about arguments.

I am a superficial person who needs more superficial things and debates aren't superficial enough for me.

[Sexy Celebrity]

Please tell me some superficial stories, everyone. If I'm worth it superficially, that is.

[Sexy Celebrity]

Does anyone here ever superficially judge other members here based on their avatar?

[rauldc14]

I would like to deck out my future basements with superficial memorabilia. I've never been a materialistic kind of guy, but I just love that idea.

[rauldc14]

Does anyone here ever superficially judge other members here based on their avatar?

Sometimes the ones that choose one available instead of making one. Other than that, no.

[Sexy Celebrity]

I would like to deck out my future basements with superficial memorabilia. I've never been a materialistic kind of guy, but I just love that idea.

It's alright to dream and want things, Raul!

[Sexy Celebrity]

Well, you know, Raul, that I think you never have great avatars. Even your current one bothers me.

But I know you well, so I don't mind it. But I wish you'd get a better one.

[Sexy Celebrity]

I'm not gonna care much about what I say in this thread because it's the superficial thread. I don't have to be wise and intelligent here.

[rauldc14]

Well, you know, Raul, that I think you never have great avatars. Even your current one bothers me.

But I know you well, so I don't mind it. But I wish you'd get a better one.

You should know very well by now that I suck at those things. I have a great profile banner though:D

[Sexy Celebrity]

Maybe if you're beautiful enough, someone will make a great avatar for you.

[rauldc14]

Maybe if you're beautiful enough, someone will make a great avatar for you.

That's a challenge for survivor 4.

[Deadite]

It's so... beautiful...

[Sexy Celebrity]

I like your new avatar, Deadite. I was very used to the old one, but this is refreshing.

[rauldc14]

Avatars are too superficial for me.

[Sexy Celebrity]

I hate Evil Dead 2, but that's a great picture.

[Sexy Celebrity]

Raul, your posts are so beautiful.

[Sexy Celebrity]

This is my favorite thread ever.

[Sexy Celebrity]

This thread better win Best Thread at the 2014 MoFies.

[rauldc14]

That's not happening. It's clearly the sneezing threads to lose.

[Hit Girl]

This thread is too deep for me.

http://www.transformleaders.tv/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Dumb-blonde.jpg

[Sexy Celebrity]

Ah, yes, the MoFo Sneezes thread. I loved that, but it failed as a thread.

[Sexy Celebrity]

Look at the pretty blonde who came to visit us.

[rauldc14]

Wait, is that you, Hit Girl? Maybe you should have been higher on my list.

[Sexy Celebrity]

If that's Hit Girl, would you have rated her #1 on your list if you could change it?

[rauldc14]

If that's Hit Girl, would you have rated her #1 on your list if you could change it?

Oh, no, no. Not 1.

[Sexy Celebrity]

Oh, no, no. Not 1.

*GASP*

Hit Girl, obviously you are not that beautiful. He wouldn't even make you #1.

[Sexy Celebrity]

http://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=14085&stc=1&d=1398651352

I brought this thread some tulips to pretty it up.

[Hit Girl]

*GASP*

Hit Girl, obviously you are not that beautiful. He wouldn't even make you #1.

I'd want to be higher than one.

http://media.giphy.com/media/MaUwo5MXoIkCY/giphy.gif

[rauldc14]

I don't like this thread. Can I delete it?

[Sexy Celebrity]

I'd want to be higher than one.

http://media.giphy.com/media/MaUwo5MXoIkCY/giphy.gif

1. Don't say things like "Duh."

2. You're getting older looking. You need to lose at least 40 lbs.

Other than that, I think you're okay.

[Sexy Celebrity]

I don't like this thread. Can I delete it?

No! This is my favorite thread in the world.

[Sexy Celebrity]

Raul, don't be uncomfortable with your superficiality.

[Hit Girl]

Why aren't there some other pretty people in here besides me?

[Sexy Celebrity]

Why aren't there some other pretty people in here besides me?

Well, I'm here, but as for everyone else... I don't know.

Hopefully they'll all find themselves a way to get here.

[Godoggo]

I guess I'll go ahead and answer HK in this thread. :confused:


But is that bad? That was my point. Maybe bad is just the wrong word. We may not like it, we may frown upon it, but is it bad? That was my only question. I'm not trying to stand up for superficiality or anything. I don't know, "bad" just seemed like the wrong choice of word, to me. I agreed with everything else Yoda said, I think. I + repped the post. It's a bit like being a hypocrite. I've seen people accuse others of that as if they'd killed someone and worse, yet it's something which everyone has been and done at some point. But is it bad? You can be a hypocrite and be wrong having done a bad thing, but I don't know if it's bad in and of itself. Seeing as it's possible to hold opposing views, to have hypocrisy as some great social sin seems odd to me.

I guess I'm thrown a little because I wasn't really thinking in terms of "bad" but rather degree. Everyone is superficial or hypocritical to some degree or another. I have people very near and dear to me who are pretty superficial in some regards but they are great people. So no, I don't think it's bad in that it makes them bad people, but when someone has those qualities to a high degree, it's not a quality that I like very much.

Like you're hypocrisy example, some people are so hypocritical that you can't really trust what they are saying because they'll say the opposite the next time they speak. I do agree that people jump on that pretty unjustly sometimes.

In the specific case of Bleacheddecay, I didn't think of her as a "bad" person, I thought of her as having pronounced superficial qualities. I'm sure she is a wonderful person with wonderful qualities, but when I remember her I think of her as that poster who was really superficial. :shrug: It's all I know of her, so that's just my lasting impression. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I am judging the quality but not the person.

[Sexy Celebrity]

No wonder you made it to the Finals in Survivor 2, Hit Girl. Only a really beautiful person could do such a thing.

[Sexy Celebrity]

Oh, look at that! Someone joined us and they brought a great big post! :up:

[Hit Girl]

No wonder you made it to the Finals in Survivor 2, Hit Girl. Only a really beautiful person could do such a thing.

Well, naturally! :D Everyone loves me!!!

[Godoggo]

Since Raul went to all the trouble. I just hope HK sees it.


This thread has me singing "I Feel Pretty" in my head for some reason.

[Sexy Celebrity]

It's because this thread allows you to see the beautiful things you never noticed before because other people were telling you that the beauty wasn't there.

[Sexy Celebrity]

We're all born superficial and then we're trained to not feel how superficial we really are.

[Hit Girl]

It's because this thread allows you to see the beautiful things you never noticed before because other people were telling you that the beauty wasn't there.

Beautiful things - like ME! :D

[Hit Girl]

Beautiful things - like ME! :D

You have no idea how tiring that is for me. :laugh:

[Sexy Celebrity]

You have no idea how tiring that is for me. :laugh:

If you're tired, get your beauty rest.

[Hit Girl]

I will, because how you look is the most important thing in the world.

[rauldc14]

Since Raul went to all the trouble. I just hope HK sees it.


This thread has me singing "I Feel Pretty" in my head for some reason.

Godoggo feels pretty.

[Deadite]

I'd post more but the first time I jumped into the fray I sprained my ankle.

[honeykid]

Since Raul went to all the trouble. I just hope HK sees it.


This thread has me singing "I Feel Pretty" in my head for some reason.
As I said, bad just struck me strangely. I mean, sure it's superficial, but so what? We're talking about Hollywood films, for the most part from what I remember, it's not as if the actors and actresses got their roles because they're the best actors and actresses in the world. Hell, they're often not the best available or the best that didn't turn the role down. You could argue that they're the best looking who're available and, in the case of stars, have an audience that follows them, hence making them bankable and making the film more likely to be profitable. But then, in some cases, you could argue that they owed someone a favour. Or nepotism. Or are friends with someone involved or God knows how many more reasons other than ability or credibility.

But then, even if we weren't talking Hollywood, say Bergman or some experimental film or something, so what? It's only a film they were watching for entertainment.

And now, pretty. :)

http://wallpapers.skins.be/drew-barrymore/drew-barrymore-1024x768-19241.jpg

[Deadite]

Sexy beast!

[Miss Vicky]

I see nothing wrong with enjoying or not enjoying a movie for the attractiveness of its cast. I quite often choose movies to watch based on their eye candy factor and a good looking actor or actress can turn something that is otherwise terrible into something bearable. Like what Henry Cavill and Russell Crowe did for me with Man of Steel or what John Cusack did for 2012 (and many of his other flicks). If a movie stars somebody I'd like to go to bed with, then chances are I'll enjoy it more than I would otherwise.

[Yoda]

Then it's not the movie you're enjoying.

[rauldc14]

Then it's not the movie you're enjoying.

You can still enjoy a movie that way. My example is I "enjoy" The Notebook.

[Yoda]

No, you enjoy Rachel McAdams. ;)

[Miss Vicky]

Then it's not the movie you're enjoying.

Maybe not in those examples, but I think one thing that has to be considered is the type of movie you're watching. Erotic and romantic films can be ruined by unattractive casts, for example, since those types of films are more about fantasy than anything else.

[Sexy Celebrity]

I do seek out a lot of movies for people in the cast alone. Sometimes the actor appears in a movie that I don't like and I don't care for the movie. Sometimes the movie is great and the actor helped. The attractive actor only enhances the movie, like a tasty ingredient/spice/flavor to a food. Ketchup for the french fries. If the movie sucks, well, at least there was the actor. That might even get me to watch the movie again, even if it was bad the first time.

[Yoda]

Maybe not in those examples, but I think one thing that has to be considered is the type of movie you're watching. Erotic and romantic films can be ruined by unattractive casts, for example, since those types of films are more about fantasy than anything else.
Sure. And the attractiveness can matter if part of the story is about how attractive a character is. And I said exactly that in the old conversation Godoggo was asking about. But that wasn't the context the discussion took place in. It wasn't a review of Gia or an erotic thriller.

I hear a few people suggesting that it isn't always necessarily superficial, but nobody was really claiming that to begin with.

[Deadite]

It would be a petty way to approach film-viewing on a regular basis, that's for sure. But I can see an argument for watching that way if you truly feel a movie won't have much - if anything - else to offer. Like watching Transformers for the eye candy... you're honestly not doing it a disservice.

But it would be laughably juvenile to focus on superficialities in a film that clearly is intended to have depth. You may END UP saying it has no depth and hating it, but that's different from being shallow at the outset.

[Frightened Inmate No. 2]

if you want to watch a movie because of an attractive actor, then fine. that's your problem for being so superficial and shallow. just don't pretend like it has anything to do with the quality of the movie, because it doesn't. there is something inherently wrong with believing that all a director has to do is cast an attractive person to redeem their film, and it's frankly insulting to the medium of film as a whole.

it's just like i don't have a problem if my mom wants to watch american idol just because she thinks harry connick jr. is hot. it's the fact that she pretends that it's just a coincidence that her interest in the show was renewed when a hot guy joined.

[Sexy Celebrity]

It would be a petty way to approach film-viewing on a regular basis, that's for sure.

I don't know who really goes around looking at every movie and thinks, "I will only watch this is the actors are really attractive" but I honestly don't care if someone does. I mean, of course if someone I knew was acting that way and I wanted them to stop, it might drive me crazy, especially if I wanted to show them something else. But I don't think badly of the idea of doing it at all. If that's your thing, there's nothing really wrong with it.

But it would be laughably juvenile to focus on superficialities in a film that clearly is intended to have depth.

It might be interesting, though, and worth analyzing that way.

[Sexy Celebrity]

if you want to watch a movie because of an attractive actor, then fine. that's your problem for being so superficial and shallow. just don't pretend like it has anything to do with the quality of the movie, because it doesn't.

Oh, no, no, no, no, no.

How can you say that? EVERY movie out there -- there's no quality or nothing special about movies because of the actors' physical appearance?

Totally wrong.

Totally wrong.

That is absurd. A movie quality's is not complete without judging everything, including the actors and their appearance. You cannot just erase that or ignore it. It's there in front of you. Movies are NOT for the blind.

I say the appearance of an actor, including attractiveness, is as important as everything else. Visual data can have merit in all ways that are possible. And I dare say that attractiveness can even be influential in how well received a movie is and how critically acclaimed it is, even if these qualities are ignored, not spoken of, or you don't even realize it's effect on you. I believe we can be subliminally influenced by factors like this.

there is something inherently wrong with believing that all a director has to do is cast an attractive person to redeem their film, and it's frankly insulting to the medium of film as a whole.

This is ridiculous.

WHY do we make films with people in them, then?

Why do we make people the subject of films?

We could very well make movies about dirt, trees, the sky, food, chairs, trains, cars, whatever, and not put people in them. But no -- we make movies and we put people in them.

And it's not just because of drama and because of storytelling -- it's also because we want to look at people. We want to see different types of people. We want to see people that are pleasing to the eye. It's why we have celebrities, it's why we worship famous people, it's why we have Hollywood, it's why we have glamor and style and everything. We take the looks of people very seriously. It's why there are makeup crews and everything, stylists, personal trainers, you name it. Films are not just something for the ugly and for non-human representation. If you want that, read a book -- and even then the stories are filled with people that you must IMAGINE and see in your mind's eye.

[Deadite]

Well, I personally don't rely on brainpower to recognize superficial aesthetically-pleasing stuff about a film. It's just viscerally evident. If it fits the film and I like it, it's appreciated. Otherwise it's not important to me in the first place because I'm watching "deep" movies for plot, story, dialogue, characterization and theme evaluations foremost. I'm not going to watch Bergman primarily for the attractiveness of his actors, but sure it could be a secondary consideration...

[Nostromo87]

why is this thread making me think of the movie Shallow Hal

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7b/Shallowhalmovieposter.jpg/220px-Shallowhalmovieposter.jpg
http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view1/1449382/shallow-hal-o.gif

[Sexy Celebrity]

why is this thread making me think of the movie Shallow Hal

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/7b/Shallowhalmovieposter.jpg/220px-Shallowhalmovieposter.jpg

Why is thin Gwyneth Paltrow shown completely on that poster, while Gwyneth Paltrow in a fat suit is merely reduced to a shadow?

Possibly because putting thin Gwyneth Paltrow on the poster would get more people to see the movie?

[Deadite]

I liked the message of that movie.

[Sexy Celebrity]

For a movie all about a message, the poster for Shallow Hal has no balls.

[Deadite]

Do the terms "strawman" and "ad nauseam" mean anything to you? :p

[Frightened Inmate No. 2]

yes, hollywood is shallow. yes, people are shallow, and hollywood will do everything to exploit that. everyone knows that. it doesn't make it okay.

[Sexy Celebrity]

yes, hollywood is shallow. yes, people are shallow, and hollywood will do everything to exploit that. everyone knows that. it doesn't make it okay.

Well, I 100% disagree. I think it's fine.

[Sexy Celebrity]

Do the terms "strawman" and "ad nauseam" mean anything to you? :p

Not really and I don't care 'cause this is my superficial thread.

[Deadite]

You do??!

Wait, disagree with what and/or who again??

[Sexy Celebrity]

I am taking back superficiality and giving it power again. That's been the biggest problem with this whole forum for a long time -- there's been no superficiality. Everyone ignores factors like this -- factors that are extremely important when it comes to movies and life in general.

[Deadite]

Not really and I don't care 'cause this is my superficial thread.

It's my thread now, BEYOTCH. *slap*

[Sexy Celebrity]

I am SEXY CELEBRITY and it's my duty.

[Deadite]

I am taking back superficiality and giving it power again. That's been the biggest problem with this whole forum for a long time -- there's been no superficiality. Everyone ignores factors like this -- factors that are extremely important when it comes to movies and life in general.

That's not true. You've been a vital superficial part of this forum for ages.

[Hit Girl]

Not really and I don't care 'cause this is my superficial thread.

Saw that one coming. :)

[Nostromo87]

http://www.businessoflosingweight.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/shallow-hal-skinny-fat.jpg
http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lu02hiJ31m1r572u2o1_500.gif

[Sexy Celebrity]

That's not true. You've been a vital superficial part of this forum for ages.

And I'm very proud of it.

And obviously I've been of help to people because they did crown me #1 Top MoFo.

[Deadite]

And I'm very proud of it.

And obviously I've been of help to people because they did crown me #1 Top MoFo.

See? I'm right.

[honeykid]

I've always thought the most unbelievable thing about Shallow Hal (which my sister really like BTW just to let you know how bad that film must be) is that the woman found Jack Black attractive? WTF's with that?

[Sexy Celebrity]

I've always thought the most unbelievable thing about Shallow Hal (which my sister really like BTW just to let you know how bad that film must be) is that the woman found Jack Black attractive? WTF's with that?

First of all, I dare say that Jack Black really isn't as ugly as you think.

Second, I guess they figured -- she's fat. She belongs with another fat person.

And she weighed more than him!

[Deadite]

Jack Black is cute in a ET way.

[honeykid]

First of all, I dare say that Jack Black really isn't as ugly as you think.
I don't doubt this for a second. :D Let's face it, he couldn't be.

Second, I guess they figured -- she's fat. She belongs with another fat person.

And she weighed more than him!
This is true, but in Hollywood fat, he's about her size, while she doesn't actually exist.

[Sexy Celebrity]

She existed in the movie, though.

In the movie, fat Gwyneth Paltrow existed. Thin Gwyneth Paltrow wasn't real.

[honeykid]

I was going to post this in the funny pics thread, but it's probably more appropriate here.

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/e1/a4/63/e1a463ecb91c58037b23a8c477cfcb7b.jpg

[Deadite]

She existed in the movie, though.

In the movie, fat Gwyneth Paltrow existed. Thin Gwyneth Paltrow wasn't real.

Whoah, matrix!

[Nostromo87]

another memorable fat suit movie moment

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkSpkpPs5RI

[Sexy Celebrity]

We should have a thread dedicated to fat people.

[Sexy Celebrity]

Oh, wait - we do:

Health & Fitness Tournament. (http://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?t=34872)

[Nostromo87]

http://themidnightalliance.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/bracesretainer.gif

tooth paste anna faris prefers fat Ryan Reynolds

http://media.giphy.com/media/FPViBemiLy9fq/giphy.gif
http://31.media.tumblr.com/9e1b2dde8d788990fd43bf50c0bd05fd/tumblr_mqh7oxLXIu1r8xg51o1_500.gif

[Deadite]

Oh, wait - we do:

Health & Fitness Tournament. (http://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?t=34872)

HAHAHAHAHA no.

[Sexy Celebrity]

I like Just Friends. I saw that at the movies when it came out.

[Deadite]

Me too.

[Nostromo87]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHPrxdia0-s

[Deadite]

No more rep for you!

[Masterman]

Following on from the other thread, I don't think it's wrong to judge a movie on the actors/actresses appearance. I look at it as, a huge percentage of movies involve beautiful people. They get the role for looking the way they do, so isn't that basically wrong?. People wouldn't like Pretty Woman if it was some woman who looked like a foot. Movies have become all about Beauty, they thrive on sex appeal and we as an audience love it.

[Frightened Inmate No. 2]

"if hollywood is going to pander to us, we owe it to them to accept their pandering."

[Godoggo]

Masterman, you are using a movie with Pretty in the title and it's a romantic movie. In that example, sure you would expect attractive leads. No one is saying that it is never ok to use attractive actors or that you're a completely superficial person to watch a movie for the sole reason that you find an actor attractive.

I called a person superficial for constantly criticizing movies for not having actors that she found attractive and for starting a thread about a movie (an independent movie) where the main criticism was that the actors were ugly. I find that superficial. Others may not have such a problem with it, but I find it a really narrow way to look at all movies.

It's not the liking to look at things that are pleasing to the eye that I don't like, it's when someone doesn't seem to get beyond that or places too much importance on it.

[planet news]

what if there was a film that had great artistic merit, but because of its avant-garde nature, you found it inaccessible and unwatchable -- except for the appearance of the lead who you find stunning -- and as you focus on the graceful actions of this person scene by scene you find yourself becoming more and more comfortable with experience as a whole, finally settling into the film's unusual flow, learning to appreciate it for the first time?

[Sexy Celebrity]

Masterman, you are using a movie with Pretty in the title and it's a romantic movie. In that example, sure you would expect attractive leads. No one is saying that it is never ok to use attractive actors or that you're a completely superficial person to watch a movie for the sole reason that you find an actor attractive.

I called a person superficial for constantly criticizing movies for not having actors that she found attractive and for starting a thread about a movie (an independent movie) where the main criticism was that the actors were ugly. I find that superficial. Others may not have such a problem with it, but I find it a really narrow way to look at all movies.

It's not the liking to look at things that are pleasing to the eye that I don't like, it's when someone doesn't seem to get beyond that or places too much importance on it.

Well, I don't feel like applauding somebody for criticizing a movie just because the actors weren't attractive to her, but I say the issue isn't the fact that the reviewer was superficial. The issue is the fact that the reviewer was STUPID for tearing apart that movie just for that reason. Superficial judgements are things I'm okay with, but when that's your only criteria for judging a movie, yes, that's stupid.

[Sexy Celebrity]

what if there was a film that had great artistic merit, but because of its avant-garde nature, you found it inaccessible and unwatchable -- except for the appearance of the lead who you find stunning -- and as you focus on the graceful actions of this person scene by scene you find yourself becoming more and more comfortable with experience as a whole, finally settling into the film's unusual flow, learning to appreciate it for the first time?

Seduced by the star. I can understand that.

[Zotis]

I often watch movies for the sole reason that an actress I'm attracted to is in the film. I've found quite a few very interesting movies that way, that I probably wouldn't have watched otherwise. For example, Another Earth. I only watched it because Brit Marling was in it, and it turned out to be one of my top 100 favorite films. On the other hand I've also started watching some really crap movies for the same reason, but ended up turning them off part way through. For example, House of Wax. I only started watching it because Elisha Cuthbert was in it, but the characters were just a bunch of superficial stereotypes soon to be killed off, so I turned the film off after about fifteen minutes.